Small Town Life
by JA Baker
Summary: Sam Cater ponders just how much her life has changed since she first heard of a town called Smallville...


_Not going to give any warning, as that would ruin the surprise, but not everyone will like this. Spoilers for seasons 5 of Smallville and 8 of Stargate: SG-1_

**Small Town Life**

Sam sat watching the sunrise out off the apartment window, a mug of steaming coffee in her hands. True, it was instant, not the good stuff from downstairs in the Talon, but it was better than nothing. It had been exactly a year to the day since she'd had to get up this early, but she still found it impossible to sleep late.

A year since her old life had ended in a way she never imagined possible.

A year since she'd arrived in Smallville.

A year since she'd met...

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It had started with Thor beaming up the General half way through a staff meeting at the SGC. The friendly alien had been passing through the system and had decided to check that everything was ok with Earth. By one of those bizarre coincidences that seemed happen almost constantly, he had arrived in orbit just in time for his ships sensors to detect a massive energy surge deep in the Arctic Circle.

He quickly scanned it, no knowing of any human technology that could produce such readings, and was amazed to see something he'd never expected to see again: vast amounts of Kryptonian technology, and a single Kryptonian life sign. Thor, like the rest of his people, had presumed that his people's ancient allies had all perished in the devastating civil war that had consumed their homeworld.

Thor considered investigating himself, but felt it would be better if he at least contacted the SGC, and had immediately beamed up his friend O'Neill, not even bothering to see if he was busy at the time. The concept of 'calling ahead' was still alien to the, well, alien. Jack had listed carefully while Thor explained the situation to him, including an abridged history of the planet Krypton and its inhabitants.

Upon his return to Earth, Jack had ordered SG-1 to escort him on an undercover mission to Smallville, Kansas. It had been easy to sneak in unnoticed: the town had recently suffered a meteorite shower, the second in two decades. Jack had smoothed things over with the man in charge of a rescue operation, a three-star Army General named Samuel Lane. The two evidently knew each other from way-back-when, and everything looked good.

Smallville lived up to its name: on the outside, it looked like the perfect Midwestern farming town, with a single main street running through it. Everyone seemed to know everyone, but the team was able to disguise themselves as part of the clean-up crew. Jack had ordered Sam to go through the archives of the local paper to see if there were any clues there.

That's how she'd met Chloe Sullivan; trainee reporter and recent graduate of the local high school. The young woman seemed have a free run of the local newspaper offices, so Sam used the friendship that soon struck up between them to snoop in places she normally wouldn't be able to get without pulling her Air Force ID. Chloe had shown Sam the files hidden away at the back of the archive, where most people would have easily overlooked them. Chloe had seemed ill at ease showing them to someone she'd just met, but the two of them seemed to be working on the same wavelength, growing amazingly close in such a short space of time.

Sam had poured over the old newspapers, amazed that one small town could plat host to so many unexplained events without anyone in the military noticing. Then she remembered General Lane, who seemed to know more about the town then he was letting on. But it was Lane who almost indivertibly cost Sam her newfound friend: the two of them had run into each other at the Talon, and the General had addressed Sam by her rank. Chloe had been standing nearby, and was too shocked to say anything when her uncle had unknowingly tried to introduce the two of them.

All she could do was stare accusingly at her friend and storm off.

Sam had felt terrible about lying to the young woman, and had run after her, finally catching up in a nearby alleyway. She confessed to being in the Air Force, but used the agreed cover that she was investigating how the recent meteorite shower had gotten so close to earth before being detected, something that the SGC was actually looking into. Chloe had accepted the cover story, but still felt betrayed. Sam did her best to assure the young woman that she was truly her friend, hugging her and apologising again and again for lying.

It wasn't clear who started the kiss, but they had both responded hungrily, clinging to each other like a drowning man clinging to a life-raft. Sam had pushed Chloe back up against the nearest wall, her hands running up and down the young woman's sides. She remembered the only time she'd ever done anything like this; years ago, when she was at collage before joining the Air Force. One drunken night she'd made out with her room mate, but they'd both passed out before it went any further and neither had wanted to discus it the next day.

But there she was: standing in a dark alleyway in the middle of a small town, her tough down another woman's throat.

Chloe's hands weren't idle either: one had gone round to Sam's back, pulling their bodies closer together, while the other moved up to cup her ample cleavage. Sam had gasped as Chloe's thumb and forefinger tweaked her already hard nipple, and moved her kisses across the other woman's jaw and down her neck. Chloe had moaned when Sam started to nibble on her collar bone.

A polite cough brought them back to reality, and Sam span round to find a young man in either his late teens or very early twenties looking at her with a slightly shocked expression. A flustered Chloe had introduced him as Clark Kent, her best friend. She then introduced Sam as her 'friend', leaving out the fact that she was an Air Force officer.

Sam didn't know what to say or think: any hint of what had happened could ruin, if not end, her career. True, she didn't think of the Air Force as her entire life, but she had hoped to make at least full Colonel, maybe even get a Generals star on her shoulder. She trusted her team and Jack to keep quiet if they found out anything, but there were too many military personnel walking around who would have no trouble in reporting her.

21st Century or not; the US military was still very strict about some things.

Clark had been polite, but seemed uncomfortable and shocked. Sam got the impression that there had once been something between Chloe and her best friend, but it was in the past. Still, finding someone who was as close as a sister making out with another woman was still a lot to take in. Chloe had started to babble and explanation, but Clark had waved it off, insisting that he had to get home.

Still somewhat confused, Sam had offered to walk Chloe home: the confusion and damage in the wake of the meteorite shower had made the previously safe town a little dangerous for a young woman out alone after dark. Anyone who had the misfortune of attacking Sam would find themselves on the receiving end of almost a decade of Special Forces training, and the Intar stun-gun holstered in the small of her back: the Goa'uld weapon wouldn't kill, but it would stop any human attacker in their tracks.

They hadn't talked at all during the short walk back to the apartment Chloe shared with her father. Sam spent the time trying to work out just what she was feeling: she felt a strong bond with Chloe, but had put that down to just how similar their personalities were. They were friends; surprisingly close friends considering how short a time they had known each other, but still just friends. But Sam's mind kept coming back to that kiss: she had never experienced anything like it in her entire life! Her entire body had felt like it was on fire, and the taste of the Chloe's lips still lingered on her own.

Neither of them said a word as Chloe led the way up the steps and into the small apartment. When Chloe finally spoke, it just to say that her father was out of town for a few days on business, leaving her older cousin, General Lane's daughter, to keep an eye on her. Sam had only muttered her understanding before the two of them had started kissing again, Chloe pushing Sam up against the front door.

"I could get in so much trouble for this!" Sam had moaned as Chloe's nimble fingers had started to undo her blouse.

"Do you want to stop?" Chloe asked apprehensively.

"Never..." Sam captured the other woman's face with both hands and started to kiss her again.

Chloe had responded by placing her hands on Sam's hips and pulling her back towards the half open bedroom door.

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Sam had woken early the next day to find Chloe still asleep in her arms, their bodies resting against each other. She had looked at Chloe's sleeping face and knew that she was in danger of falling deeply in love with the young woman. And it wasn't just lust of physical attraction: their lovemaking the night before had been the most intense and fulfilling experience of Sam's life. No one had ever made her feel so alive.

The air started to shimmer, and Sam felt the all-too-familiar pull of an Asgard transporter beam envelop both her and Chloe.

In an instant, Chloe's room was replaced with the interior of an Asgard starship, leaving the two women covered only by the sheet Sam had grabbed at the last moment.

"Carter?" A voice enquired, and Sam looked round to see Jack staring at her, a rather confused looking Daniel and amused Teal'c standing in the background. Her CO looked at her, "Bad time huh? Now you know how I feel."

"Sir!" Sam sat bolt upright, waking Chloe, who screamed in surprise, pulling the sheet up under her armpits.

"Greetings." Thor stepped out of the shadows, making Chloe scream again.

"Um, Chloe; meet Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard, General Jack O'Neill, Dr Daniel Jackson and Teal'c." Sam gave a worried smile, "Thor, Sir, guys, this is Chloe Sullivan, my, um, friend..."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Thor nodded, seemingly un-phased by everything.

"Um, Thor, do you think you could beam their cloths up?" Jack asked, trying his best not to stare at his subordinate and the woman she had apparently been sleeping with.

"Certainly." The grey alien nodded, and a pile of mixed clothing appeared in the deck in a flash of light.

Sam grabbed it and pulled it under the sheet, trying to dress as quickly as she could while maintain what little modesty she had left, as well as Chloe's.

"So, Thor." Jack turned his back on the scene and looked at his friend, "Any reason you beamed both of them up?"

"Indeed." Asgardian nodded, "When I reviewed my scans of the Kryptonian structure in the northern polar region of Earth, I found that there were two life-signs: one Kryptonian, one human. The human life-sign was Chloe Sullivan's. I decided that as she is aware of alien technology, and was in close proximity to Colonel Carter, that it would save time if I beamed them up at the same time."

"What are you talking about?" Chloe asked, having hurriedly dressed and half hiding behind Sam, "What alien technology?"

"You can stop playing dumb." Jack smiled, "We know that there is a massive building in the Arctic Circle that was built using Kryptonian technology. All we want to do is find the last surviving member of the Kryptonian race and make sure they are not a threat."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Chloe asked, clasping Sam's hand for comfort.

"I assure you that no harm will come to anyone." Thor assured the scared young woman, "My people were once allies of the planet Krypton: we deeply mourned their loss."

"I only have your word for that..." Chloe looked at Sam, "What should I do?"

"Do you trust me?" Sam asked, smiling when Chloe nodded, "Then you can trust them: we didn't come to Smallville to hurt anyone. Hell, we didn't even bring real guns."

"Let me put it this way: we're going to find whoever it is, and the faster the better it'll be all round." Jack explained, "We're not the only ones who know about what's suddenly appeared up north: some very unpleasant and powerful people will be in town soon, and they'll do anything to get their hands on the technology used to make it. We don't want the information; we just want to make sure that tomorrow follows today."

"Earth is not ready for the knowledge needed to build such a structure so quickly." Thor nodded, "In the wrong hands, it would be most dangerous."

"Ok, I know who you're looking for." Chloe nodded reluctantly, "But I'll only take one of you to meet them, and that's final."

"I guess that means you, Carter." Jack nodded his agreement, "Good luck."

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It was past noon before Sam had managed to convince the Kent's that the military wasn't going to try and take their son away and run tests on him. She had been dumbfounded when she was told that the bashful youth she'd met the night before was the last know survivor of a once great civilisation.

Clark just seemed, human.

Having finally convinced Jonathan and Martha Kent that her intentions were honourable, she'd had to explain how they'd know about the Clark in the first place: the Kents and Chloe had sat in silence as Sam explained about the Stargate, the Asgard, and Thor's friendship with the members of SG-1. She left out some information; like the location of Stargate Command and the war against the Goa'uld.

Jonathan Kent had, politely but firmly, asked to talk to his wife and son alone. Sam and Chloe agreed, and walked out into the yard.

"So..." Chloe smiled shyly.

"So..." Sam nodded equally apprehensively, "last night was, well, amazing."

"Amazing." Chloe nodded, "I've never even considered anything like that, but it just felt..."

"...right?" Sam smiled, "Any idea what we do next?"

"Aren't you going to get in trouble? I thought the military had some rather strict rules about this sort of thing?"

"Yeah, but I'm sure I can find a way to make it work, even if I have to quit and go back as a civilian consultant."

"You'd do that? Give up your career for me?"

"I've loved three men in my life: two died, and one could never decide if his career was more important than anything that might happen between us."

"General O'Neill, right?"

"Yes: we spent the better part of eight years dancing around our feeling for each other, but nothing really ever happened. But with you, it was almost instantaneous. The way I see it, if Jack and I were truly meant to be together, nothing would have stopped us. Between the two of us, we'd have had enough connections and pull to get away with it, but we never tried. I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering what might have happened with you: I'd rather take the risk."

"You do realise that you're almost old enough to be my mother, right?"

"Jack's old enough to be my father, but that didn't stop me falling in love with him. The way I see it, if you truly love someone enough, you make it work."

"Are you saying you love me?" Chloe asked; her eyes wide.

"I think I am." Sam nodded, "I love you."

Chloe's response was to wrap her arms around the other woman's neck and kiss her deeply on the lips, their bodies pressing up against each other.

"Guys, please." Clark's voice came from the porch, "Ok, Colonel, I'll meet this Commander Thor."

"I'd recommend that you remember to call him Supreme Commander Thor; he gets a little teach when people forget." Sam took Chloe's hand and walked over to Clark, pulling an Asguard transponder from her pocket, "This may feel a little strange..."

"Wow!" Clark blinked as his house disappeared in a flash of light, and he found himself standing in from of a large window offering a panoramic view of North America.

"Yeah, it gets you the first few times." Sam smiled, squeezing Chloe's hand reassuringly, "Thor agreed to beam us up to this location so we could prove to you that we're telling the truth." She pointed at an open hatch to their right, "He's just through there."

"Okay." Clark nodded, forcing his gaze away from the amazing view, "Let's go say hi."

"Greetings!" Thor sat in his command chair, "I am Supreme Commander Thor of the Asguard fleet."

"Hi." Clark did a quick double take of the little grey alien, "I a Kal-El, son of Jor-El."

"I knew Jor-El well: he was a friend of my people." Thor nodded, beckoning the young man forward, "Please, we have much to discuss."

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"Carter." Jack found Sam alone: Chloe's curiosity, having gotten the better of her, had her listening to Thor as he told Clark what he knew of Krypton and its people.

"Sir?" Sam looked round a little apprehensively, "I know you have to report my conduct, but I'd like the chance to..."

"I'm not reporting anything: you're one of my best friends, subordinate or not. Danny and Teal'c feel the same." Jack smile slightly, "All I want to know is; how serious is this?"

"I love her, sir; it's as simple and serious as that. And if I have to resign my commission to be with her, then I will."

"I don't want you to do anything that drastic. Please, give me two days to try and figure something out; if you still feel the same way and I've not come up with anything, I'll regrettable accept your resignation."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Just one other thing; don't you feel you're rushing into this?"

"Sir, I've spent eight years of my life not rushing into what my heart tells me, and I'm sick of it. I want Chloe sir, more than I've ever wanted anyone, including you. I couldn't live with the idea of putting off what I want so badly for any longer. We us, it was always 'when Apophis is defeated', and then there was Anubis and Ba'al and so many others. I'll stay on as a civilian consultant if that's ok with the Pentagon, but I'm sick of waiting. If it was ever going to happen between us, it would have by now. I've moved on, Jack, and so should you..."

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Sam had given Jack the two days he asked for, spending most of the time at what Clark had christened the Fortress of Solitude. Jor-El, surprised at seeing Thor on Earth, had proven to be an excellent teacher: Sam learned more about astrophysics and the wider universe in those two days than she had in the previous two years.

Both Daniel and Teal'c spoke to her in private, wanting to make sure that she was in her right mind and knew what she was getting herself into. Teal'c seemed please that she was happy, while Daniel was a little more apprehensive: he brought up every counter-argument he could, from the age gap to Sam facing possible court-martial. But in the end even he was satisfied, saying that he'd just wanted to make sure Sam was going to be ok.

Jack arrived at the end of the second day, transported up from the SGC by Thor, who was intent on keeping the Fortress' location a secret for as long as possible. It had taken one look for Sam to know that he'd been unable to find a way for her to be with Chloe without leaving the Air Force, so she handed over the letter of resignation that she'd prepared. Jack had reluctantly accepted it, thanking her for her survive over the years, and wishing her good luck in the future.

Chloe had been a little surprised by Sam's willingness to follow-through on her promise, but was overjoyed when Sam said she was going to start looking for a place in Smallville. It had been Clark who'd suggested the now vacant apartment above the Talon, but Sam had jumped at the chance. True, it would be a big change in lifestyle; she'd have to find a new job, but it meant she could be with Chloe.

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Jack pulled a few strings, and got Sam the position of official liaison between Clark and the government (by way of the SGC), making sure that the NID or some other less than trustworthy organisation could be kept away from him, while Thor covertly placed several Asguard sensors in and around Smallville. These helped them locate and recover the Kryptonian ship that had landed under cover of the meteorite shower. The fight against the sentient AI embedded in the craft had been hard, but they had prevailed in the end, permanently sealing the insane General Zod in his prison.

That aside, the year had been good: while there were still some people in Smallville who disapproved of their relationship, most people were willing to accept them. Sam's job kept her busy, while Chloe started her journalism studies at Metropolis University. Sam had been a little surprised when Cassie had transferred over from Colorado State, but it was good to be able to spend more time with her surrogate daughter.

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Finishing her reminiscing about the same time she finished her coffee, Sam placed the cup in the sink and headed back to the master bedroom. Chloe was still sleep, sprawled across her side of the bed, long golden hair spread out like a frazzled halo. Lifting the covers up as gently as she could, Sam slipped back in next to her partner.

"You always get up too early." Chloe complained with a yawn, "You'd think you'd be use to the idea of sleeping in on a Sunday by now."

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Sam kissed the younger woman on the nose.

"We didn't exactly get to sleep early last night." Chloe grinned, "Just be glad that Cassie wasn't staying over: you know how much she loves to rib us about the noise we make."

"It just proves that she's accepted us." Sam pulled the covers up over their heads, "Now, what was that about noise?"

**The End**

_Ok, before anyone asks, this didn't start out as Fem-Slash: the original idea I had was Sam and Jack retiring to Smallville after a similar chain of events (i.e. Thor detecting the Fortress of Solitude and reporting it to the SGC). I even posted a challenge for such a story over at Twisting the Hellmouth, and it is yet to be seen if anyone takes me up on it._

_Having placed the challenge, I joke to another writer there that he should have ago, maybe using a Sam/Chloe relationship (the writer in question having a reputation for Fem-Slash stories), but he said he didn't know enough about the two shows to do it justice._

_So there I am, with two connected ideas in my head, and an empty Word document before me. I wrote this in a little over 24 hours, and it probably shows, but it was something I just had to finish._

_If you didn't like it, then so be it: it was my story to write and time to waste, not yours._


End file.
